1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to the field of digital image processing systems, in particular, digitized image signal correctors on these systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to correcting digitized signals by these digitized image signal correctors to achieve specified output results of an image.
Copending Applications
Various non-essential aspects of the digital image processing system incorporating the teachings of the present invention are described in further detail in the following U.S. patent applications, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, Sony Corporation of America, Park Ridge, N.J.:
Ser. No. 07/741,329, filed on Aug. 7 1991, entitled Non-Real-Time Film Scanning System now U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,500.
Ser. No. 07/736,006, filed on Jul. 25, 1991, entitled Digital Video Processing System With Mixing Prefilter (now issued as U,S. Pat. No. 5,181,100);
Ser. No. 07/746,928, filed on Aug. 19, 1991, entitled Method and Apparatus for Flare Correction (now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,586);
Ser. No. 07/740,626, filed on Aug. 5, 1991, entitled Digitized Film Image Processing System With Bordered Split Screen Display (now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,666).
Ser. No. 07/660,662, filed on Feb. 25, 1991, entitled Digital Signal Processing System Employing Icon Display now U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,645
Ser. No. 07/794,489, filed on mm/dd/yy, entitled Computerized Interactive Menu-Driven Video Signal Processing Apparatus and Method now U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,773 ;
Ser. No. 07/710,704, filed on Jun. 5, 1991, entitled Digital Color Correction System and Method now U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,083;
Ser. No. 07/740,623, filed on Aug. 5, 1991, entitled Digital Video Color Processor With Anti-Aliasing now U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,783; and,
Ser. No. 07/687,962, filed on Apr. 19, 1991, entitled Digital Color Correction System Having Gross and Fine Adjustment Modes now abandoned.
2. Background
In image processing, image signals typically undergo various adjustments or corrections. For example, in film to video conversion for high definition television (HDTV), these adjustments and corrections include:
a) correction of calorimetric distortions due to film dye cross-talk, PA1 b) correction of the non-linear luminance transfer function of the film, PA1 c) correction for distortion due to video cross-talk, PA1 d) conversion of linear data into the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineer (SMPTE) 240M representation. PA1 a) adjust the color of a film derived image to match that of a video derived image for seamless intercuts, PA1 b) remove localized noise, or PA1 c) process layered film mattes for smooth composition.
Additionally, in the exemplary film to video conversion for high definition television (HDTV) application, an operator may want to:
In most image processing systems, the digitized image signal correctors perform the adjustments or corrections based on the processing parameters provided by the operators. The task of selecting the appropriate processing parameters for these digitized image signal correctors to achieve certain desired output results is normally left to the operator and is one of the more difficult tasks in image processing. As the complexity of the image processing model grows with advances in image processing technology, this task has become even more difficult. For example, in the exemplary film to video conversion for HDTV application, an operator may be required to provide input gain and offset processing parameters, interimage masking processing parameters, film characteristic processing parameters, and video cross-talk processing parameters to the color corrector for color correction.
In most if not all adjustments or corrections, the operator typically does not want to know about the particular processing parameters being used, he/she simply wants to achieve the desired output results. Thus, it is desirable to be able to automatically determine the optimal processing parameters for digitized image signal correctors on an image processing system to correct digitized signals to achieve specified output results for an image.
As will be disclosed, the present invention provides for a method and apparatus for correcting digitized signals to achieve specified output results of an image where the optimal processing parameters used by the digitized signal correctors are automatically determined.